CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Invention
and innovation
are essential to remaining globally competitive, and a new survey shows
an untapped group of potential inventors in the U.S. The 2011 Lemelson-MITInvention
Index1, announced today, indicates that American women
ages 16 – 25 possess many characteristics necessary to become inventors,
such as creativity, interest in science and math, desire to develop
altruistic inventions, and preference for working in groups or with
mentors – yet they still do not see themselves as inventive. Young men
in the same age group echo these characteristics, highlighting the need
to cultivate young adults’ interest in science and math, while educating
and inspiring them about the impact they can have on others through
invention.

Embracing Young Adults’ Inventive Skills

The annual Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges Americans’
perceptions about invention and innovation, this year surveyed young men
and women ages 16 – 25. Almost three in four young women (71 percent)
indicate they are creative, the characteristic they most associate with
inventors (63 percent); however, less than one in three (27 percent)
describe themselves as inventive. Men also follow this trend; 66 percent
say they are creative but only 39 percent describe themselves as
inventive.

Further demonstrating inventive traits, young women show a strong
affinity for math and science – two of every five female respondents (42
percent) rate these as their favorite subjects in school. More than half
of male respondents (53 percent) agree. 35 percent of young women also
say they have a family member working in a field related to science,
technology, math or engineering. The results reveal young women’s innate
interest in inventive fields; however, recent statistics show while more
women are entering college and obtaining degrees, less than ten percent
earn them in technical majors such as computer and information sciences,
engineering or math.² This proportionately small group indicates a need
to educate women about translating their skills and academic interests
into inventive careers.

Chad
Mirkin, a member of the President’s
Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and 2009 recipient of
the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT
Prize, recently remarked, “This country needs innovative new
programs to stimulate the interest of young men and women in STEM and to
challenge them to use their intellect and creativity to invent solutions
to some of the world's most pressing problems. Women have an enormous
amount to offer in this regard, but aren’t currently pursuing science or
technology fields at a high enough rate.”

Fueling Future Innovation

The Lemelson-MIT Invention Index also reveals that young women and men
do not see the U.S. as leading the way in invention; 61 percent of young
women view Japan as the leader, with the U.S. ranking second at 27
percent. Young men agree, choosing Japan first (54 percent) and the U.S.
second (36 percent).

To improve the U.S. standing, young women cite access to governmental
funding (30 percent) and including invention projects during school (36
percent) as the best ways to encourage aspiring inventors. They cite
lack of knowledge and concern about funding (65 percent) as the most
challenging obstacles. Men agree, noting that providing places to
develop inventions (24 percent) is another way to encourage hopeful
inventors. The availability of invention tools and education has the
potential to boost the quantity of inventive professionals, according to
survey respondents.

Joshua
Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT
Program, supports this idea. “Our Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam
grants initiative and partnerships with national youth organizations,
which have access to millions of young people, inspire and empower youth
to invent. To highlight a potential path to success, we also recognize
award-winning college and professional innovators as accessible role
models. We encourage parents, teachers and leaders at the state and
national level to do their part and embrace innovation and seek out
invention education experiences for youth.”

Inventing for a Cause

The Lemelson-MIT Invention Index results indicate that young people have
the skills necessary to invent, and also reveal that nearly half (49
percent) of young women are most interested in pursuing invention to
improve the lives of others. Almost two in five men are also motivated
to invent to improve lives (38 percent). 58 percent of the female
respondents would make a health science or consumer product invention
their top priority; men’s inventive interest is geared towards consumer
products or web-based inventions (54 percent).

Other Interesting Survey Findings

39 percent of men and 36 percent of women think that inventors are
people who most often work at home or in their garage, illustrating a
misperception of inventors and their careers.

Young adults show a preference for working in groups or with mentors
(73 percent), the style typically associated with professionals in
technical fields.

Young women are most interested in thinking of and designing a
solution (57 percent) when it comes to the inventive process; men are
also interested in those steps, as well as building the solution (84
percent).

ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAMCelebrating innovation,
inspiring youth

The Lemelson-MIT Program recognizes the outstanding inventors and
innovators transforming our world, and inspires young people to pursue
creative lives and careers through innovation.

Jerome H. Lemelson, one of U.S. history’s most prolific inventors, and
his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by The Lemelson
Foundation and administered by the School of Engineering. The
Foundation sparks, sustains and celebrates innovation and the inventive
spirit. It supports projects in the U.S. and developing countries that
nurture innovators and unleash invention to advance economic, social and
environmentally sustainable development. To date The Lemelson Foundation
has donated or committed more than U.S. $150 million in support of its
mission. For more information about the Lemelson-MIT Program, visit http://web.mit.edu/invent.

1 The 2011 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index survey was conducted
by Opinion Research Corporation December 14-20, 2010, using an
internet-based, multiple-choice format. The sample size of 1,000
respondents, ages 16-25, at the 95 percent confidence level would equate
to + or – 3.2 percent margin of error had this been a random sample. *
Please refer to the survey as the Lemelson-MIT Invention Index.